HEART FAILURE
This cardiac glycoside increases myocardial contractility and slows AV-node conduction.
What is digoxin?
This medication is a nitrate commonly used for rapid relief of an acute angina episode.
What is nitroglycerin?
Class I antidysrhythmic medications primarily affect these ion channels.
What are sodium channels?
This anticoagulant is commonly monitored using aPTT and can be reversed with protamine sulfate.
What is unfractionated heparin?
Before administering digoxin, the nurse should assess this vital cardiac assessment for a full minute.
What is the apical pulse?
This electrolyte imbalance increases a patient's risk for digoxin toxicity.
What is hypokalemia?
This class of medication lowers LDL by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase.
What are statins/HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors?
This Class II antidysrhythmic is a nonselective beta blocker that can cause bradycardia and bronchospasm.
What is propranolol?
This oral anticoagulant is a vitamin K antagonist and is monitored using PT/INR.
What is warfarin?
This is the major adverse effect that nurses must monitor for with anticoagulants, antiplatelet medications, and thrombolytics.
What is bleeding/hemorrhage?
This medication combines neprilysin inhibition with angiotensin II receptor blockade and is used for heart failure.
What is sacubitril/valsartan?
This antianginal medication is used for chronic angina but should not be used to stop an acute angina attack.
What is ranolazine?
This Class III antidysrhythmic is associated with pulmonary, thyroid, hepatic, ocular, and cardiac toxicity.
What is amiodarone?
This direct oral anticoagulant directly inhibits thrombin, or factor IIa.
What is dabigatran?
A patient taking atorvastatin reports severe muscle pain and weakness. The nurse should be concerned about this potentially serious adverse effect.
What is myopathy/rhabdomyolysis?
A patient taking digoxin develops nausea, anorexia, yellow-green visual disturbances, and dysrhythmias. These findings suggest this complication.
What is digoxin toxicity?
This lipid-lowering medication binds bile acids in the intestine and commonly causes constipation.
What is colesevelam?
This medication is administered as a rapid IV bolus for certain supraventricular tachycardias and has an extremely short half-life.
What is adenosine?
A patient receiving heparin develops a significant decrease in platelets and a new thrombosis. The nurse should suspect this serious complication.
What is heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT)?
A patient receiving alteplase suddenly develops a severe headache, vomiting, and altered level of consciousness. The nurse should suspect this life-threatening complication.
What is intracranial hemorrhage?
A patient is being switched from an ACE inhibitor to sacubitril/valsartan. The nurse knows this amount of time must pass after the ACE inhibitor is discontinued before starting the ARNI.
What is 36 hours?
A patient taking nitroglycerin reports that they also take sildenafil. The nurse recognizes this combination can cause this potentially dangerous effect.
What is severe hypotension?
A patient taking this Class IA antidysrhythmic is at risk for QT prolongation and torsades de pointes.
What is quinidine?
This anticoagulant is particularly useful as an alternative anticoagulant for a patient with HIT and is monitored using aPTT.
What is argatroban?
The nurse is caring for four patients. Which patient requires the priority assessment?
A. Patient taking colesevelam with mild constipation
B. Patient taking atorvastatin with a mild headache
C. Patient taking digoxin with an apical pulse of 48/min
D. Patient taking warfarin with an INR within the prescribed range
What is C — the patient taking digoxin with an apical pulse of 48/min?
Rationale: Digoxin slows heart rate and AV conduction. Significant bradycardia may indicate excessive drug effect or toxicity and requires prompt assessment.